Listen live

Video 3:17
Presidential candidates back on the campaign trail

Matthew CarneyUpdated
Fri Nov 02 23:17:00 EST 2012

After three days dealing with the disastrous impacts of superstorm Sandy, US president Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail with renewed vigor less than a week before the presidential elections, with polls showing the race between the president and his Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, neck and neck.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: After three days dealing with the disastrous impacts of superstorm Sandy, US president Barack Obama returned to the campaign trail.

With less than a week to go in the presidential election the polls are showing the race between the president and his Republican opponent Mitt Romney is neck and neck.

But Barack Obama has received a boost for his management of the disaster response today, receiving an endorsement from independent New York mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Matthew Carney reports.

MATTHEW CARNEY, REPORTER: US president Barack Obama returned to the election trail with polls showing he holds a slender lead in five of the eight most critical States.

BARACK OBAMA, US PRESIDENT: We know what change looks like.

(SOUND OF APPLAUSE)

And what the Governor's offering sure ain't change. Giving more power back to the biggest banks isn't change. Leaving millions without health insurance isn't change.

MATTHEW CARNEY: Praising his response to the superstorm, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his endorsement for president Barak Obama in The New York Times. The former Republican said he had shown leadership on climate change, which could be causing severe storms such as Sandy.

In Virginia, Mitt Romney attacked the president as a man with no plan for the future.

MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: I know that the Obama folks are chanting four more years, four more years. But our chant is this: five more days, five more day - is our chant.

(SOUND OF APPLAUSE)

MATTHEW CARNEY: There was good news for the president with US consumer confidence jumping to a four-year high. But unemployment figures out tomorrow are tipped to rise slightly above the current rate of 7.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the death toll from the superstorm is nearing 90. Among the victims, two young boys torn from their mother's reach by raging floodwaters.

ROSE VALENTINO, NEIGHBOUR: God, I would be devastated. What would we do? I would die. I would want to be dead with them. I can't believe it.

MATTHEW CARNEY: Police in New York in jersey are going through house to house searching for more victims.

ARMY OFFICER: There is a lot of elderly that stay in place. You may encounter this.

MATTHEW CARNEY: As the death toll mounts, New York is struggling back to life. Food and water shortages are widespread. The power should be back on within days. Chronic petrol shortages have meant long queues and frustrated drivers.

DRIVER: Almost like Armageddon. Like, it is a rough feeling out here. You know, you got a car, you almost can't get gas, everybody's fighting for it.

MATTHEW CARNEY: Further down south Atlantic City was the landfall for Sandy as it roared towards the coast. The iconic boardwalk was picked up and smashed.

JUSUF VELAZQUEZ: I seen the boardwalk, it seen it mostly, but on the mountain you just see the waves sitting. And I'm like wow Sandy is destroying this place.